OKC needs a little shakeup to help them for a playoff run. Biggest needs taken care of in the second trade: backup 5 and a Roberson replacement. But the first one also helps them moving forward. They won't be able to pay Grant this summer. They want to get rid of Singler. Singler played well in Detroit and could be a nice add. Grant can do what Toliver and Johnson do but better. Okc tries to hit on a buy low guy in Stanley and get an expiring deal as they approach the summer.

2.) 03 Feb 2018 15:06:45
Tolliver is 6-8 guy off the bench for Detroit doubt if they want to trade him. OKC needs to add more incentive if Abrines, and Huestis are their offer to Orlando. Recent report has them eyeing Bradley. Maybe something materializes?

15 Nov 2017 23:52:37
So Bleacher Report drops this article today about how the Lakers are going to land multiple superstars in free agency by extending Deng. I feel like they could definitely make that happen. But what if they aimed higher?

OKC is off to a rough start. They also have reported that upper management won't overdo it next summer in terms of going into the luxury tax. If George is to opt out and earn more (which he will), the Thunder can't afford him. If we hit December and OKC still isn't putting things together, why not capitalize on moving George to a team that he's rumored for?

Lakers get Paul George, Kyle Singler, Zach Collins
***Lakers get their guy. They've been after him and he's been after them. They preserve all expiring deals and take on minimal contracts with him.

Thunder get CJ McCollum, Brandon Ingram, Larry Nance Jr.
***Thunder don't get any picks, but they add a great scorer in CJ. They slide Roberson back over to the 3. Ingram can start at the 3 once he develops a little more. Nance is a nice prospect.

Lakers can still extend and stretch Deng. They still have big expiring contracts. They can actually build around their free agents. More than that, though, they can already have George there to use in talks with free agents next summer.

Thoughts? How far off am I?

ChurchPugh

1.) 16 Nov 2017 05:11:13
i like the idea, but i don’t see cj working out that much better next to russ than dame.
but its a pretty good salvage for pg if they are letting him walk, honestly might be too much getting him and ingram. maybe move around some of the assets between la and por.
and i read the br article, streching deng is still a second option to trading him, and if they are giving up ingram, i would think deng have to be would be included with him.

2.) 16 Nov 2017 15:42:10
I actually like this idea for everyone involved. As OKC, you're pretty much turning Oladipo and Sabonis into those three. Not bad at all. As far as McCollum's fit next to Westbrook, I think it would be fine. The big issue with the Blazers is the rest of the team's fit. With the Thunder, you'd have Roberson, Ingram, Nance, Melo, Adams, Grant, Patterson. that's a much more well rounded roster. With the Blazers, the big issue is they need a SF for the starting lineup and need to bring Turner off the bench as a facilitator with shooters.

Clarkson and Randle would fit in nicely with the rest of the roster in Portland, and those picks will come in very handy.

3.) 16 Nov 2017 16:23:12
That is an absolutely horrible move for Portland. Really really horrible. Those two picks are late firsts if George and Lebron go to LA. None of the players are much of anything. And Portland gives up a recent lottery pick?

Portland won’t give up McCollum without getting an elite asset back. All of that is average at best.

Also, okc is getting way too much back for George. He’s not worth McCollum alone. Look at the return Indy got for him a couple months ago. No one is giving that kind of talent for an expiring contract.

Thunder solidify their bench for a title run. They get a backup big they sorely need and a bench scorer who can thrive as a sixth man. They love having that bench wing who can fill it up and Barton could be that guy for a year.

Nuggets have so many bigs. They cash in on one netting a first and a shooter to help spread the floor.

3.) 07 Sep 2017 14:48:05
I'm actually not sure why OKC would do this. I love Gasol and everything, and he's the best of the three centers involved with this trade, but is he that much of an upgrade over Adams that you'd want to give up multiple picks? With an offense that already includes George and Westbrook, there's only so much ball to go around. What you need in that case are high upside role players, which is what Adams is. He rebounds and blocks at right around the same rate as Gasol does, and he's 8 years younger and on pretty much the same contract.

4.) 07 Sep 2017 15:55:47
Blocks and defense aren't the same. Gasol is an elite defender, Adams isn't. Gasol is also one of the best passing bigs I've ever seen, and a great scorer. And yes, you need more scorers, always.

Gasol is a top 5 center in the NBA. Adams maybe is top 20. Yes, Gasol is considerably better than Adams.

I feel like a comparative question is "Is Paul George really that much better than Trevor Ariza? " The answer is clearly yes.

If they get lucky, they find a team to take Kanter without getting much else back. Stretch Singler. Renounce Roberson.

Two guys who make a lot of sense on the current roster (don't laugh): Serge Ibaka and Jeff Green.

Sure, Ibaka wanted out and wanted a bigger role. Well. He can have it now, AND go back to the team that drafted/developed him.

Next you have Green. He showed promise for the Thunder but was never a four despite being stuck there for OKC. He can come back and slide into a more natural position at the 3. He'll be way less expensive after disappearing a bit in Orlando but still has some talent.

Resign Taj and convince him being the big off the bench in Kanter's role is the right move for him. Cut Christon and Cole and hope you get a solid point in FA and draft one at 21.

Russ-FA-Rookie
Oladipo-Abrines
Green-Grant
Ibaka-Sabonis
Adams-Gibson

Thoughts?

ChurchPugh

1.) 17 Jun 2017 06:24:49
Not bad but I don't think OKC has cap for this and where's McDermott?

02 Jun 2017 15:49:53
Whats the best OKC could do on a Westbrook return? He's a top 10 player and deserves more than what the Thunder can give him.

OKC could restock and bide their time developing young guys and wait until things open back up. So many other teams in win-now mode. Russ has that killer instinct and endless motor.

They could call teams like Boston, LA, Spurs, Sixers, etc. What could they get back? what's the best they could do?

Lets see in the comments.

ChurchPugh

1.) 02 Jun 2017 16:59:34
I think LA and Boston would be their best bet.

Boston would probably be something like 2 of the Brooklyn picks, and Brown and then whatever a third team would give up for Thomas (something like 3 solid picks or young players) .

The Lakers would give Igram, Russell, the 2, and then one of their lesser prospects and maybe a little more if they were willing to take on Mozgov or Deng.

I don't see many other teams with the young talent and picks and current roster/ ability to sign a free agent to team up with Russell to make the price worth it to make an offer attractive enough to pull Russell under the current circumstances. Obviously if he says he's walking things change.

2.) 02 Jun 2017 17:19:57
Church ---
All the teams you mentioned have assets, but at what cost?
Boston has draft picks into the next century, but is not going to give all of them up. And all that would do is drop OKC to Phoenix level for 3-4 and depress the fan base.
The Lakers would do something, but the cupboard would be bare when Westbrook gets there.
San Antonio plays team ball and would not abandon that to become The Westbrook Show.
Philly won't give up Simmons or Embiid, and anything else they have won't get the trade done.

We offered him the deal he wanted. He didn't accept because of his role. We in turn hit the phones. Called GSW first. They wouldn't give up Thompson. We called Wiz second. They wouldn't give up Beal. We called Houston third. We landed Martin (stop gap), Lamb (bust), and the pick that turned into Steven Adams. None are equivalent to Harden. Sure. But all that crap about not paying Harden is incorrect.

I'm assuming you completely missed the of OKC grabbing George for Oladipo and Sabonis and no picks.

And you obviously missed numerous reports saying Gordon Hayward was signing with Boston. despite them not yet having sufficient room yet.

Point being: OKC is savvy in trades. AND OKC is one of the few teams with an exception equivalent to relieving the cap room necessary to bringing in Hayward. Boston still has Rozier to play behind IT. This deal makes sense.